Are You Ready To Raise Your Happiness Level?

5/26/2022

Did you know that according to recent research into happiness, having a sense of “awe” is the most highly correlated skill to being happy?

Awe is free.
Awe is readily available.
Awe can be tapped at any time.
Awe does not have a dollar amount attached to it.

We get so caught up in thinking “I’ll be happy when…”
I have a new job... I retire...I lose 10 pounds.,,,I get my raise...I go on vacation...This pandemic is over... the list goes on.

The truth is that all of these things can contribute to happiness temporarily. But the boost we get from the usual things we think will make us happy is short-lived. Then we are back at square one, looking for the next thing we hope will make us happy.

What if we did something different? What if we cultivated our ability to be in awe?
Awe can be defined as the feeling of reverential respect mixed with wonder.
Awe doesn’t wait for something to happen. Awe exists all around us all the time.

What might awe look like?
It would probably start with being in the present moment. A refreshing break from worry about our to-do list or fear about what might happen next.

Once we’re in the present moment, awe can come from anywhere.
The new ruby red spring bud on the tree branch in a front yard.
The glorious sprays of purple on the first crocus flowers.
The warmth of a knowing smile from a colleague.

If you’ve lost your connection to awe, next time you are out and about, take note of how little children are genuinely connected to awe. They usually walk, run or skip with a sense of delight. They explore with a sense of curiosity. They laugh and giggle with a sense of glee. They innately know their world is full of wonder and they enjoy it everywhere.

We can have that sense of wonder and awe, too. All we have to do is slow down and allow ourselves to look for beauty and allow things to take our breath away.

When my daughter was little, I would often look up at the sky and point to the sunset, the sunrise, and the clouds. And for that brief moment, we shared a sense of awe.

She’s 21 now and to my delight, will often text me photos of a beautiful sunset she saw on her way home from work.

We can be in awe of our direct reports, our colleagues, and our boss. As Shari Ballard, the CEO of Minnesota United Soccer Team says, “We all have genius. When we look for it in every person we interact with, we find it.”

Give it a try.

For the next few days, consciously look for ways to be in awe. I’m pretty sure you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how many things around you are worthy of “awe” and how much you’ll add to your feelings of happiness and contentment.

Let me know what you discover!

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